Electric switch



(No Model.)

D. B. TURNER.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

No. 448,698. Patented Mar. 24, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

DOXTJCE l3. tiURNER, Oh IlH AGO, ILLINOIQ.

ELECTREC SvVlTCl SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 448,698, dated March 24, 1891.

Application filed June 18, 1890.

To (LZZ lL7l0/IL it may concern:

Be it known that I, DONLEE l3. TURNER, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illiuois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specitication.

Myinvention relates to switches forelectric work, and has forits object to provide a convenient and simple switch. It is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a plan view of the switch with the top of the case removed. Fig. 2 is a crosssection through the case and switch. Fig. 3 is a detail of the tripping-block, and Fig. l is a detail of a modification.

Like parts are indicated by the same letter in all the ligu res.

A is the base on which the mechanism rests; 13 B, pivoted arms, and C the cover.

D D and E E are contacts for the outer extremities of the arms B l and F F are the blocks to which these arms are pivoted.

G G are the binding-posts to which the conductors are attached, and two of them are connected with the contacts D D and the other two with the blocks F F.

On the short ends of the arms l3 B are the blocks of insulation G G, which are secured between the bifurcated ends ot' the piece ll, which is free to move on the rod J.

K K are the spiral springs on this red on opposite sides of the piece H, and bearing, respectively,against the rigid collar L and the end of the pitman M. The rod J is securely fastened to this pitman and passes through the standard N. The piece 11 engages the lug O on the pivoted bar P, which is upwardly forced by the spring R, and carries the pivoted cam-block S and the two pins T and U. The lower end of the rigid cellar L is adapted to engage and slide upon the cam-block, as shown in Fig.

V is a combination-look, the details or which are not shown, but the rotating portion of which is eccentrically connected at W to the pitinan M.

X is the key by which this central portion maybe made to rotate, so as to operate the pitman M in either direction.

In the modification a s 'ing-bar Y is sub- Serial No. 855.884.

(No model.)

stituted for the springs K K. The contacts F11 are eccentrically connected to the conductors Z Z and form parts of the main circuit, and the conductors Z Z lead, for exampie, to an are light. The details of course might be greatly varied without departing from the spirit of my invention, and the arrangement of parts, size,- and proportion, &c., might be greatly altered without departing from the law of the action oi": the device. I

have also contemplated the use of mechanicalequivalents of the various portions.

1 have spoken of the piece L as being rigid with the rod 5, and I mean so as to move therewith but to be capable of a slight motion thereon. It is limited in its motion by the recess 5 in the compressed spring K. (Indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

Between the standard N and rod J is the spring U, bearing against the piece or washer ll.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows: The device being inclosed in the case, as shown in Fig. 2, and the parts being in the position indicated in Fig. 1, it is clear that the circuit will be completed through an electric-arc lamp, for example, placed in connection with the conductors Z Z. If, new, itis desired to cut the lamp out and yet leave the circuit unbroken it may be accomplished by introduction of the proper key into the combination-lock Y, for when this is done, and not until then, can the central portion of such lock be rotated. 13y rotating this portion by means of the key the pitman M is moved and by its motion the rod J is moved. This motion is communicated to the piece It and thence to the arms l3 15 to turn them on their pivots and complete the circuits through the contacts E E. It will be readily seen that by alternately turning the key in opposite directions such are lamp may be successively turned in. or out of circuit. It is desirable, however, that the arms in passing from one contact to the other should move with a sudden and strong motion, and this is accom plished by means of the devices more fully illustrated in. Figs. 2 and 3, to which reference is now invited. Assuming that the parts are as indicated in full lines in Figs. 2 and 3, if the key be turned so as to force the pitmanpiece M toward. the r ight to its collar the IOU spring K will be compressed between the lug O on the pivoted lever P and the piece H, through which the rod J freely slides. For a considerable portion of the rotation of the key there will therefore be no movement of the block H, and hence none of the arms B B, but the spring K will be in process of compression. During this same motion the rod J, being movable with the pitman M, the rigid washer or piece L thereon will engage the cam-face of the block S,and riding upon it will steadily depress the pivoted lever P against the spring R until a moment will arrive when the Washer or piece L will pass over the upper edge of the block S to the rightthereot', and the piece H will be freed from the lug O and the expansion of the spring K will violently force such piece H to the right along the rod J until the equilibrium of the springs K and K has been restored. At this moment. however, the block H will be on the right of the lug O and the lever P will be restored to its position shown in full lines in Fig. 2. This violent and sudden motion of the block H of course swiftly swings the arms B B on their pivots until they make connection with the opposed contacts. successively moved on their pivots to make or break the circuit. The edge of the washer L, which engages the cam-block S, is preferably sharp, so as to admit of an easy passage of such edge across the upper edge of the block. hen the pitman is moving toward the right, the piece L will be held by its engagement with the cam-block in the position shown in Fig. 2; but when the compressed spring K is freed a slight pressure will be placed upon the piece or washer L and will force its end across the upper edge of the block S against the spring L \Vhen the pitman M is moving in the opposite direction,the piece L will be forced over the edge of the block S by the expansion of the spring L after or at the same moment that the com- In like manner these arms maybe pressed spring K is permitted to expand. If-desirable, the key maybe provided with an insulated head or end.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. Inaswitch,the combination of two elbow crank-levers with suitable contacts for their long ends, a reciprocating piece connected with their short ends, and a lock having a movable part which controls the reciprocations of such piece.

2. In a switch, the combination of pivoted elbow crank-levers with suitable contacts for one set of their ends, a cross-piece connecting the other ends, itself elastically connected with a reciprocating bar,and a key-controlled their other ends, and a lock having a movable part which controls the reciprocations of such piece, and thus rocks the levers to make or break circuit.

5. In a switch, the combination of two elbow crank-levers with suitable contacts for two of theirends, a lock, and a connection from such lock to the other ends of said levers, whereby the operation of the lock will move the levers on their pivots to make or break the circuit.

DONLEE B. TURNER.

Witnesses:

CELESTE P. CHAPMAN,

DAVIDA J. JOHNSON. 

